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st4rface · 01-18-2022, 06:54 AM

S63 has just started and I need last few bucks to buy an equipment and some extra cash for some weekly training, so I can rest from making these medias at least some time. However, I didn't know what to make a media about, so here we are... S63 just started, we are few games in and I will make my early and bold predictions about this season - based on my thoughts, what we saw in previous season, what happened in off-season and based on how it's looking at this moment aswell.

Let's start with the league's bottom. Western Conference!

It's looking like we might have again the same four teams at the bottom of this conference this season. Seems like only Edmonton Blizzard has gotten better while Winnipeg Aurora, New Orleans Specters, Minnesota Monarchs and San Francisco Pride stayed kinda the same. Of course, it's just the beginning of the season, but that's why it's called early and bold predictions.

10th place - Winnipeg Aurora - Aurora

I just can't see them getting out of the bottom this season. They did terrible last season and won only 5 from 66 games. This season has started bad for them aswell - 2 games, 2 losses and only 2 goals scored. They have to improve their roster and keep training to get back.

9th place - New Orleans Specters -

I think that Specters will end up in 9th place this season aswell (in their conference). They have one win in two games at this moment, but still only three scored goals and I can't see them winning without scoring.

8th place - San Francisco Pride - pride

It was a close race between San Francisco Pride and Minesota Monarchs last season. Pride had 64 points and ended up as 6th place in Western Conference, while Monarchs had 63 and was in 7th place. I think it will be very close this season aswell. I just think that Monarchs might be a bit luckier this time and somehow end up higher than them.

7th place - Minnesota Monarchs -

I already just told about their situation. Monarchs has 2 losses in 2 games while Pride has 1 points in 3 games. I think it will be very close again, as I just said. However, I think that these teams don't have any real chances at championship.

Let's move on to the middle of Western Conference.

It's much harder to predict middle and the top of each Conference than the bottom, because it seems like the worst teams didn't really progress while others did. This will be much harder, but here we go.

6th place - Edmonton Blizzard -

Blizzard ended up in 8th place in Western Conference last season. They have started much better this season with 2 wins in 3 games. Three times more scored goals than allowed. Pretty impressive. Great start, but I am not sure if they will be able to keep up the same game style full season. 6th place might be for them.

5th place - Chicago Syndicate -

Will Syndicate really be in just 5th place in their conference? Maybe. I don't know. This list by itself has been done just to get some balance to buy equipment on SHL, so who really cares. But yes - it might happen. They had an incredible regular season in S62 - they gained 117 points from maximum which is 132. Almost 89% of all points. I just think that after they didn't won a championship - they might not be so good. We've seen similar stuff in real life too when team is extra good one year and next year falls off.

4th place - Calgary Dragons - Dragons

I am very proud and sure about my team, but I still want to be humble, so I predict that my Dragons will go in to Play-Offs from 4th place in Western Conference. We have a good team with a lot of great players, but some teams has a bit more knowledge with this simtool and still a bit better depth. So I think that 4th place in conference would be solid to go in to the Play-Offs. We still can win a championship and I'm very confident about that.

And here we are - first TOP 3 and it's for Western Conference. Let's go!

3rd place - Seattle Argonauts -

There isn't a specific reason. I don't know if Argonauts will actually be that high, but I have that feeling. They are so unpredictable team that they can end up in 7th place and they can end up in 2nd place. I think this might be their season. They did decent last season - 5th place. They started this season with 5 points in 3 games aswell, so they have ability to finish in 3rd position in their conference. Good luck!

2nd place - Texas Renegades -

Renegades just won a championship and they are trying to get a back-to-back title. Will it happen? Hard to say. They are definitely capable to do that, but we can see some good opponents for them. New rivals have arrived and they are strong. I think that they might end regular season in 2nd place in their conference and keep the power for Play-Offs where the real fight will begin.

1st place - Los Angeles Panthers -

Excellent beginning of the season - 3 games, 3 wins, 12 goals scored, 6 goals allowed. Last season ended up in the 3rd place in Western Conference. They have improved a lot and you can see it in their game. Bold prediction, but I can see them actually somehow winning entire regular season. I still think that they will be a bit short to win a championship though.

Let's move on to Eastern Conference. I'm not really interested in that conference anymore, but there are some changes too, so let's take a look at my predictions. Once again - we are starting with the bottom.

10th place - Manhattan Rage - Rage

I think we all picked Manhattan Rage or Winnipeg Aurora getting a dumpster trophy this season. And let's be honest - both of these teams have the biggest potential to get it. Rage has started season with two losses and 0 scored goals. Aurora and Patriotes are in a similar caliber of power as Rage, but this is just a different level and I actually think that they might be the worst team this season.

9th place - Montreal Patriotes -

It seems like the bottom of Eastern Conference might be the same as the last season. Rage and Patriotes were just a level behind other teams. They were more than 40 points behind the 8th place and that should say a lot. I think that 9th and 10th place in Eastern Conference won't change this season.

8th place - Atlanta Inferno - Inferno

Hockey is very interesting thing cause it's hard to predict something. And even if it looks like you know what's gonna happen - everything can change. Mostly, because it's so fast that everything can change in a moment. So it's a bit harder to predict the bottom of Eastern Conference, but I still think that Inferno will end up in the 8th place. They have good defense, but awful offense at this moment.

7th place - Toronto North Stars - Stars

At this point, my Eastern Conference prediction of S63 is looking exactly how Eastern Conference standings of S62 are looking. And there's an obvious reason why. These four teams haven't really improved and are still playing like they might end up just like the last season. North Stars have a better season start than other three teams, but I think there's a lot of luck involved, cause they had very low accuracy games with small results. However, I wish them luck!

We are moving slowly to the TOP 3 of Eastern Conference, but before that... Let's check middle!

6th place - New England Wolfpack -

First change in my prediction from last seasons standings. Forge and Wolfpack fought for the 5th place and Wolfpack was a bit stronger last season. There will be again a fight between those two teams and it will be really close. This time I'm just going to root for Forge just to see some changes and progress in standings. I think it will be close and we can't be sure how it will end up, but I don't see Wolfpack getting higher than 5th place. My prediction is still a 6th though.

5th place - Philadelphia Forge - Forge

Forge is one of the newest teams here, but they are already doing kinda solid. They aren't the best team and aren't the worst. They are middle team which are underdogs in a fight for a championship, but are able to surprise. I think this isn't their season yet, but they might surprise very soon.

4th place - Buffalo Stampede -

Well, Stampede has started again a season with a losing record. When I played for them, it was pretty ofthen when Stampede started with a losing record and lost plenty games playing in away, but they always got back on a track better and ended up in a 3rd place at least. However, they are still good, but I think that this season they won't be in a TOP 3 in their conference. Hard to say what I expect from them in Play-Offs, but everything can happen, because it's a good and smart team which can find a way to win even with no strong roster. Which they has, by the way...

And here we are - TOP 3 of Eastern Conference.

3rd place - Hamilton Steelhawks -

Steelhawks has always been very close to Stampede in every single aspect. And I'm pretty sure that this season they will be once again next to each other in standings and there will like only few points difference. However, Steelhawks will be still a TOP 3 and keep their dominance walk. They are stacked and has very smart GM's, so we might see them in Finals once again. Semi-Finals at least.

2nd place - Tampa Bay Barracuda -

Barracuda has insane beginning of new season. 3 games, 3 wins. Last season they were in 4th place in their conference, now they're first. I want to see them being 1st in Eastern the entire season, but I don't think they are there yet. They might end up 2nd, 3rd or 4th. Fingers crossed and I wish them to be in the 1st place, because I root for them, but we will see then. Best of the luck!

1st place - Baltimore Platoon - Platoon

Baltimore Platoon - team which we have seen as a great regular season team lately. They end up in Play-Offs, but never really get to Finals. However, I think that this might be the season which has the same outcome. They are good, but something is missing and we can't tell what it is yet. They might be first again in regular season in their conference, but Play-Offs? Who knows.

These are my early and bold regular season predictions. How close they will be to reality? We will see in couple of weeks. If I have to predict Play-Offs too, I can see Tampa Bay Barracuda and Hamilton Steelhawks in to the Play-Offs if the right order happens to them. Platoon, Dragons, Panthers and Renegades might be underdogs for Finals aswell. I don't think any other team might end up in Finals though. My final prediction - Tampa Bay Barracuda versus Hamilton Steelhawks Finals where Barracuda writes a new page in to SHL history and brings home a cup in 7 game series. I will be happy if Calgary Dragons wins it though. Haha. Good luck to everyone in the new season!

Around 2000 words!

trella · 01-18-2022, 11:13 AM

cool article, but tampa and hamilton cant play each other in the finals cuz we're both in the east. would be a fun semi finals though! personally im hoping for a tbb-lap final

Thanks to @karey and @JSS for the sigs!

Former USA Fed Head, Carolina Kraken Co-GM, Tampa Bay Barracuda GM

PremierBromanov · 01-18-2022, 11:55 AM

bold predicitons more like correct predictions

*leviadan* · 01-18-2022, 01:46 PM

01-18-2022, 11:13 AMtrella Wrote: cool article, but tampa and hamilton cant play each other in the finals cuz we're both in the east. would be a fun semi finals though! personally im hoping for a tbb-lap final

i'm hoping for a tex-ham final i think that would be exciting

[Image: pin1_1.gif?ex=661a1734&is=6607a234&hm=b8...1bf5caed8&]

trella · 01-18-2022, 01:57 PM

01-18-2022, 01:46 PMleviadan Wrote:
01-18-2022, 11:13 AMtrella Wrote: cool article, but tampa and hamilton cant play each other in the finals cuz we're both in the east. would be a fun semi finals though! personally im hoping for a tbb-lap final

i'm hoping for a tex-ham final i think that would be exciting

yes truly a groundbreaking series!

Thanks to @karey and @JSS for the sigs!

Former USA Fed Head, Carolina Kraken Co-GM, Tampa Bay Barracuda GM

***WannabeFinn*** · 01-18-2022, 02:06 PM

I thought we had a connection Aumy

st4rface · 01-18-2022, 02:16 PM

01-18-2022, 02:06 PMWannabeFinn Wrote: I thought we had a connection Aumy

We had. Unfortunately, just had… Undecided

But I still think Stampede is a great team with a smart GM and it’s written in my article above. And I still appreciate everything you and Stampede did for me. Every new player who ends up in Buffalo is in great hands. Still wishing the best of the luck to my ex-team. Except in games versus my Dragons, of course, haha. Dragons

PremierBromanov · 01-18-2022, 02:23 PM

01-18-2022, 02:06 PMWannabeFinn Wrote: I thought we had a connection Aumy

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